High Commissioner Somasundaram Skandakumar presented credentials as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Governor General H.E. Robert Dadae of Papua New Guinea on 8 May 2018.

Following the ceremony at Government House, the Governor General held a one to one discussion with the High Commissioner and expressed the hope that the two countries could build on the cordial relations. The Governor General noted that Sri Lanka was rich in the education sector and PNG has received a large number of Sri Lankan academics as well as teachers in the past. The Governor General also highlighted the need to build on economic relations. Read More »

Vesak was celebrated at the Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra on Sunday 29th April with the participation of Sri Lankan community and Australian officials. The celebrations commenced with the invoking of blessings and chanting of pirith by the resident Venerable Theros of the Sri Lanka Buddhist VIhara in Canberra, followed by a short Anusasana and Buddha Pooja.

The High Commission staff presented Bhakthi Gee while High Commissioner S. Skandakumar joined in to sing the final song “Pōya Sandē Sanda Kiranin” whose theme was for a world that exists in righteousness and peace. Live music was provided by the Canberra based ‘Nada Roo’ Music Group. Read More »

Inaugural talks under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between Sri Lanka and Australia were held on 19th April in Canberra at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

This was the first bilateral discussion taking place after the TIFA was signed in Colombo on 2 November 2017, during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The agenda encompassed discussions on economic reform and cooperation, free trade and regional trade agreement agendas, market access and investment facilitation and sector specific opportunities for investment in both countries.

A new interface of the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been launched. The URL for the website remains the same, at:- http://www.mfa.gov.lk

The new interface has been designed to be mobile responsive and accessible across different devices, platforms and browsers; to provide a more user-friendly interface for the web-user and public.

Comprehensive updated information in important sections such as key profiles, contact details of ministry officials and divisions; contact details of Sri Lanka Missions abroad and Foreign Missions / Organizations in Sri Lanka; and detailed information on the range of consular services available to the public, are presently online. These sections will also be made available in Sinhala and Tamil, shortly.

Contact details of Sri Lanka Missions abroad are listed and categorized for quick access, and can be searched on a map indicating regions of the world. With a view to providing better information to the public, the Mission entry also indicates the current time of the country where the Mission is located, and the time difference from where the user has logged into the site.

The new interface is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to improve service delivery and to provide information to the general public.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake met Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on 26th March during a visit to Australia on the invitation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The two Ministers discussed bilateral issues ranging from the strong people to people links and growing economic relations, to cooperation in countering transnational crimes. Read More »

A delegation from the Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC), headed by Mr. Harin de Silva Wijeyeratne, Chief Executive Officer, and comprising Professor Gehan Amaratunga, Chief of Research & Innovation, Dr. Shehan De Silva, Senior Scientist/Head of Strategic Planning, and Dr. Lakshitha Pahalagedera, Head of Business Development, undertook a successful visit to Melbourne from 12 to 15 March 2018. Read More »

Dr Dayaratne is a Consultant Paediatrician and has been practicing in Darwin for over 40 years; first at the Royal Darwin Hospital and later in his own private practice where he continues to work. Dr Dayaratne has also worked in the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka where he received his education. He is a graduate of the University of Ceylon Faculty of Medicine and continued post graduate education in the United Kingdom. Read More »

Mr. Panditha Mudiyanselage Nawaratne Bandara, Senior Lecturer in Accounting & Head of Accounting, Banking & Finance Division of the School of Business and Public Policy in the University of Papua New Guinea has been appointed as the Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Papua New Guinea.

Mr Bandara holds a Master of Business Administration from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, Sri Jayewardenepura University (1994) and a Bachelor of Arts from University of Sri Lanka, Vidyodaya Campus (1977). He is an Associate Member of the Certified Practicing Accountants, Papua New Guinea (CPA, PNG), Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, (CIPFA) UK.

He has written many text books on accounting and business studies for educational institutions in PNG. Mr Bandara received the ‘Member of Logohu’ award by the Governor General of Papua New Guinea Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae for his contribution to higher education, in particular the accounting profession and accounting education in PNG over the last 16 years.

Register with the High Commission

The Sri Lankan High Commission in Canberra would like to keep in touch with Sri Lankans and persons of Sri Lankan origin living in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and other Pacific Islands as well as Sri Lankan community organisations in those countries.

If you are a current/former Sri Lankan or an office bearer of a Sri Lankan community organisation we invite you to register with the High Commission.